Guides / City guides / Frankfurt
Break into investment banking in Frankfurt.
Home of the ECB and Germany’s biggest banks, Frankfurt grew after Brexit. German is usually expected, and Mittelstand family companies drive a lot of deal flow.
The Frankfurt recruiting year.
German banking recruiting relies on internships, often several in a row.
- During your studies
Internships (Praktika)
German students often do several internships before graduating, including in M&A, Big 4 deal teams or PE.
What to do: Build a run of relevant internships early.
- Autumn
Graduate analyst applications
Global banks post full-time analyst roles in the autumn. Citi posted its 2027 Frankfurt full-time analyst role in September 2026.
What to do: Apply as soon as roles open.
- Rolling
Off-cycle internships
Many Frankfurt internships run off-cycle, starting throughout the year.
What to do: Check careers sites monthly.
- Interviews
Technical and fit interviews
Expect accounting and valuation questions, sometimes in German.
What to do: Practise answers in German as well as English.
- Start date
Analyst start
Graduate classes usually start in the summer or autumn after graduating.
What to do: Keep your internship contacts warm.
Typical windows only. Dates vary by bank each year.
Ways in.
Internships
Several internships are the standard way in.
Analyst programmes
Global and German banks hire analysts after graduation.
From Big 4 or corporate finance
Transaction services experience is a common step into M&A.
Who hires in Frankfurt.
Mittelstand succession sales feed many mid-market advisers.
| Tier | Examples | Why apply |
|---|---|---|
| German banks | Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank | Large corporate and investment banking teams with domestic clients. |
| US and global banks | Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citi | Many expanded in Frankfurt after Brexit. |
| Advisers and boutiques | Lazard, Rothschild & Co and German M&A boutiques | Mid-market and Mittelstand advisory work. |
Know the Mittelstand: medium-sized, often family-owned companies. Succession sales by family owners are a big source of German M&A.
Are you Frankfurt-ready?
Tick what you’ve done. Be honest: interviewers will find out.
The Frankfurt selection process.
- Online application, CV, cover letter and transcripts.
- Online tests, at some banks.
- Interviews, technical and fit, in German or English.
- Final round, with senior bankers.
Visas and work rights.
EU citizens can work in Germany without a permit. Non-EU graduates may qualify for an EU Blue Card or a job-seeker route.
German universities often require internship contracts; check each bank’s eligibility rules.
Test yourself: Frankfurt
Questions from the Mandate app. Try each before you open it.
Frankfurt is home to which central bank?
The European Central Bank. The German Bundesbank is also based there.
Which body supervises German banks and markets?
BaFin, with the ECB for big banks. The ECB directly supervises the eurozone’s significant banks.
The main German stock index is…
The DAX. Deutsche Börse operates the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
For most Frankfurt client roles, which language is usually expected?
German and English. German Mittelstand clients often work in German.
Get ready before applications open.
Mandate’s Frankfurt add-on and core units prepare you for German banking interviews, with daily drills and mock interviews.